JEDDAH: The Jeddah Center for Forums and Events has been converted into a relief center and welcomed Friday over 1,000 volunteers who answered the call to help in aid efforts following Wednesday's floods. “We've come to help get basic necessities to the people who need them, particularly in the districts of Al-Samir, Al-Jawad, Quwaiza, Al-Nakheel and Al-Jamiya,” said volunteer Jehad Nasser. “We're taking them food, drinking water and other things by car. So far more than a hundred cars have gone out with aid supplies.” Another volunteer said that Palestine Street was also one of the worst hit areas. “We've been delivering supplies since yesterday to various places. The situation in Palestine Street was particularly bad as the water was up to a meter high,” he said. Essam Haroun, the volunteer supervisor at the center, said that some of the volunteers who registered Friday were old hands, having come forward during the last flood crisis. Others were offering their services for the first time. Both males and females have come forward to do what they can. “At the moment all the packages and items are coming into one place, but hopefully by tomorrow we'll have it divided into sections for food, clothes, medical items and other forms of aid,” Haroun said. “The women and girls will pack the items and then the guys will take it out to the areas which are still in a bad way.” The Panda hypermarket and supermarket chain is also involved, with one representative saying they have provided food, drinking water, juice, milk, diapers and other items sorely needed in times of crisis. “Panda has been working hand in hand with the volunteers, the municipality, Civil Defense, the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, the Khadija Bint Khawailid Center and the Al-Bir Charity to provide supplies to the most needy,” he said. Thousands of volunteers offering to help with clean-up operations were also in evidence at the Jeddah International Exhibition Center following Friday prayers. “We're expecting around 5,000 young men and women volunteers to turn out this time,” said Mazen Batarji of the Volunteering Work Coordination Committee and board member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). “We're going to divide volunteers into 14 groups of 200, each designated a specific district where they will give hand-out packages, help with accommodation for evacuated families, and help repair damaged homes. Eight districts have been particularly badly affected.” He said there were also some 150 trainees from the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation conducting car repairs, plumbing work, electricity maintenance and home repairs. “The campaign is more organized and coordinated this time, with private and government bodies brought under one supervisory body,” he said. “It's a one-week campaign organized by the JCCI, and involves the Jeddah Governorate, Civil Defense and the Ministry of Social Affairs.” Mohammed Madani, who joined the long queue of volunteers with his 10-year-old son, said came as soon as he heard about the opportunity to help via the social networking site Twitter. “I'm very proud of the thousands of Saudis and expatriates who have come and volunteered to help,” he said.
